I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

When a book starts with a police transcript, you know you are in for a treat! The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren is the first I’ve read of this author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love a good romcom, and this book delivers just that. America’s sweethearts, the Tripps, aren’t all they are cracked up to be. It’s up to Carey and James to keep them in line and hope that their fighting doesn’t end up front page news. The Honey Don’t List is a fast-paced, exciting read full of humor and unexpected romance.

Carey Douglas is twenty-six at the start of this book and realizing that she needs a change. She has worked for the same people since she was sixteen and feels she has nothing to show for it. Stuck doing everything the Tripps don’t want to do and doing all the work they take credit for, Carey is at her ends meet. I like Carey. She speaks her mind, works hard at everything she does, and truly doesn’t ask for much. I empathize with her work situation. She is the unseen force behind Comb+Honey, the company owned and run by Melissa and Rusty Tripp. Despite all she does for them, most see her as Melissa’s personal assistant and nothing more.

James McCann is new to Comb+Honey. Taking a job as lead engineer two months prior, he’s yet to do what he was hired to do. Instead he plays assistant to Rusty Tripp and takes his frustration out on Carey. I like and empathize with James. He is caught between a rock and a hard place. He needs this job to help his resume, but he feels that he’s losing his skills. He’s stuck just like Carey by the Tripps.

When Carey and James catch Rusty cheating on Melissa the night before they leave for their book tour, the two wind up on babysitting duty. Both were looking forward to ten days off while the Tripps went on their book tour. Now they are stuck going with them, making sure the couple don’t fight in public and continue to be America’s sweethearts. It would look really bad if their marital woes wound up as front page news while they are trying to sell a book on marriage. Together James and Carey work to keep their jobs intact and find they have more in common than they realized.

Overall I really enjoyed The Honey-Don’t List. Clearly Christina Lauren had the Gaines in mind when they wrote the Tripps, other than the cheating and in general not liking each other that is. The Tripps are a trainwreck waiting to happen, and poor Carey and James are along for the ride. If you enjoy romcoms, I highly recommend you dive into this one. It will leave you smiling long after you finish.